New male falcon lands at City Hall

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SAN JOSE, Calif., March 7 (UPI) -- A group of volunteer falcon watchers in California said a new male falcon dubbed Fernando El Cohete appears to be taking the top spot at San Jose City Hall.

Evet Loewen, the former chief deputy city attorney and a falcon enthusiast, said her group named the bird for San Fernando Street, where he has often been seen flying, and the Spanish words for "the rocket," the San Jose Mercury News reported Wednesday.

Experts said Esteban Colbert, the male falcon frequently spotted near City Hall, has not been seen since Fernando El Cohete chased him off Sunday. It is unknown whether the new bird will mate with 7-year-old female Clara and take over fatherly duties for the four eggs sired by Esteban Colbert.

"We just don't know," said Glenn Stewart, a biologist with the University of California Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group. He said much is unknown about falcon mating behaviors and the urban-dwelling birds give researchers a unique opportunity to observe their actions.